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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 

Wiapf J 1 :/. Copji-io-ht No 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



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\90\ 



FLATBVSH 




The Vanderveer Mill 



FLATBVSH 


Past & Pre s e ri t 



By E D M r N i:) I) •. K i s h e r 

llhjitratcd from Drau-ings b\ Allen B. Dogcett 




F I DILI r A s E 1 S I- I \- K I r a ; 



P U B L 1 


h H 


K D v. \ 


FLATBVSH 


TRVST 


COMPANY 


B R O O K L V 


N Tk- X 


K W YORK. 


M D C 


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C C I 



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[Library of Congress 

jlwo Copies Received I 
JAN 22 1901 

SECOND COPY 
I 






Cop\ ri^ht, 1901 
V.y I'lathiisli Trust Company 



:>^ 



Press of 

Robert L. Stillbon 

5U Pearl Street 

New V'ork 



Preface 

l'"latlnish. allli(iu,i;ii a c()mnuiiiit\ fnuiidccl ox'cr 
two centuries and a half a;;'!), is yet \iiiini;' in streni;th 
and \i,u<)i-, and is an actix'e and .^rowin^i;' i)ower in tlie 
politieaK social, and intellectual life of the cit\' of 
New \'ork. It has seemed to the manai;"enient of 
the I'datlnish Trust ("omixiin-, howex'ci", that not 
enoui;h is i;"enerall\ known of the beauties and pos- 
sibilities of the section ; so this little sketch has been 
written with the desire that it ina\' be of some service 
to the people ot I'latbush as a means ot ,i;i\in,<;" to 
tlieir li'iends antl acquaintances in other ])laces some 
little idea of the home neiL;"hborhood. 

This work has also been undertaken antl i)ublished 
with the hope that it will be rc\i;"arded as a slight token 
to de])ositors that the officers and direct (.)rs a])preciate 
the confidence and support (see i)ai4'e 68) whicli lias 
been so ^enerousb' accorded to the ("ompam'. 



lamiarx i. njoi. 



Authorities Consulted in the Preparation of 
Flatbush Past and Present 



AxDEKScjx. History of the United States. 

Brodhkai). Documentary History of the State of New 
York. 

Campbell. The Puritan in En.iiiand. Holland and America. 

Flint. Early Long Island. 

Lord. .Modern Europe. 

M()TLi:v. Rise and Fall of the Dutch Republic. 

MowATT. Autobiography of an Actress. 

OSTRAXDFCK. History of Brooklyn and Kings County. 

Prescott. I'hilip the Second. 

Stile.s. History of Kings County. 

Stroxc;. History of Flatbush. 

TooKER. The Algonquian Series. 

A'AXDEKiili. r. Social History of Flatbush. 



Aniateiu" Photographic Work by 

Gkorce M. B()aki).\l\x, Harry S. Shafter. 

Rdiu'.RT L. Stillsox and Willlam R. A'axderveer. 



Contents 



I. Fi-oni tlie Past to the PresLMit ,, 

I I. I-'ducation . 

III. iM one)- ami IJankin.i;- 5, 

\y. The I'resent ... 

/ ' 

ConcliKsion ^^^ 

Chronological Talkie „j 

l"fle^ • • ■ 94 



^*.^'fcv^"..#^. 






V 



■.^-^■-' 










Ch 



apter 



On( 



Till'; sc\cntcfnth (-'cntur\' was eminent l\- a pci'ioti 
of birth, ot\i;i"<)\\-tli, of dex'elopnient. Thesliack- 
les of Spain, tlie i^reat \vor](l-]io\\ei' ot the 
l)reee(:hni;' era, IkuI lon.i;" retarded tlie ] )ro,i;"i'ess of 
civilization; but lier power liad now been l)r()ken 
b\- the indomitable eoura.i;e and persexei'anee of 
the Dutch in theii' successful strui;\i;"le foi- libertw 
The humiliation of Spain was completed and her 
spirit crushed b\' the defeat ot the in\incil)le .Armada, 
throui;"h l{n,L;iish |)luck and \alor. I'heie were thus 
I'eleased, for cix'ilization and tor pi-o,i;"ress, those forces, 
which, in their natural de\elopment, ha\e made the 
America of to-da\ . The " I lalf-Mo()n " antl the 
" Ma\ifower " now could make their peaceful \oya<4'es 
across the _i;"reat .Xtlantii', foi'. althoui;"h the warships 
ot Si)ain were still a menace to na\i,i;'ation. they 
were but little feared b\- the hardx mariner. 

.Amon;:;' the darin.i; s|)irits who thus xentured 
westwartl Irom Iuiroi)e toward the unknown regions 




I the I S b\ permission 

The Half-Moon. 



be)'()ncl the sea, was Henr)- Hutlsoii, a })ictui"esque 
figure in early American liistor}-. While searching;" 
for the mythical northwest passage, in the emi:)loy of 
the Dutch East India Company, he had the rare good 
fortune to find the entrance to New York Harbor. 
It is doubtful whether Hudson fully appreciated the 
magnitude of his discovery, but he certainly did not 
underestimate the \alue of the land for purposes of 
settlement, as on his return the Dutch West India 
Company was organized, and soon the jM'osperous 
colony called New Amstei'dam, was flourishing on 
the island of Manhattan, and the entire region was 
called New Netherlands. 

Long Island at this time was occupied by some 
thirteen tribes of Indians, of whom the Canarsies 



•4 




The Birdsall Homestead. 



held the tenitoi'}' l^etween Pi"()s}:)ect Park and the 
ocean. Their stragi^iing- trail from the hills to the 
water, now dail}' traversed b}- crowded electric cars, 
is known as Matbush Avenue. When the early 
Dutch settlers explored the reg'ion one can imagine 
they found a ])icturesc|ue and narrow path, winding its 
way through the primeval forest. It was sufficiently 
attracti\e or convenient, however, to be chosen as the 
centre of the little settlement which about the }ear 
1634. under the name of Midwout, l)ecame the founda- 
tion of Modern Flatbush. 

A history of Flatbush might well be gi\en the 
title of one of George MacDonald's no\'els, " The 



Annals t»t a (Juicl 
Ncii;1il)()rh()i)(l ; " 
for. with the c.\- 
ccjition of tlic ex- 
citement and tlis- 
tnrf)anee eaused 
b}- the l)attle of 
Loni;" Islantl anil 
the c|uai'terin,L;' of 
l^ritisli and I les- 
sian solcHers in the town, tliere is hut little recorded 
that indicates other than a continuousl\' ix'acefuK ])r()s- 
l)er()us, antl happ)- communit}'. 

The Dutchman's record as a fi,i;hter is un(.|ues- 
tioned. He struLiu'led manfulK" and s uccesslulK' tor 











1 


hni 


! 

4" 


i 






7§ 


m 


L 


1 






I 




IB 

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M w 



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1 Ik- \ ,iii(k']\ ecr ll.ii n 



i6 

nearly three-quarters of a century for the great 
principles which were embodied in our own Declara- 
tion of Independence, " life, libert)' and the pursuit 
of happiness." But he was a d'v nat as well as a 
fig'htei', and in the colonies found it the best policy to 
be on friendly terms with the natives ; so the annals 
of Matl)usli arc free from the record of such san<rui- 




'he 



C. HL-r^en Housl 



nary conflicts with the Indians as ma}' be found in the 
history of many of the other colonies. 

Nothing" definite is known regarding" the first 
settlement of Flatbush, but it is p"obable that about the 
year 1634 a party of pioneers, attracted to the section 
by the rich character of the soil, as well as the 
abundance of fine timber land, effected a purchase 




-. « * 



-^.»..V>^ 



''^-t?'^--~ 




The A'anderveer House. 



from the Indians. The first autlientic record indi- 
cates that in 165 1 there had l^een allotted some 
forty-eight tracts of land, two to each proprietor, 
with a liberal central tract for church purposes. A 
considerable stretch of timber land lying to the north- 
east of the settlement, was for man}- }ears held in 
common, and afterwards became the town of New 
Lots. What was known as Corlear's and Twiller's 
Flats to the southeast also remained long undivided, 
and a portion was ultimately sold for educational pur- 
poses. 

A title to all this territory was confirmed in 165 1 
by a patent given b\- the Director Stuyvesant to Jan 
Snedecor, Arent \'an Hatten, Johannes Megopo- 



•9 

lensis, and otlicrs. A sccontl })alcnt was <;"rantctl 
in 1656 to the inhabitants of Michvout, as title to 
" a parcel of meadow ground or \'alley l}'ini;" on the 
east -northeast of the Canarsie Indian planting lands." 
This tract is known as the Canarsie Meadows. 

With practically unlimited territory, with fertile 
soil, great forests of hickory and oak, a secluded but 
central location, Midwout prosjjered and soon became 
the most important of what were known asthecountv 
towns. 

During the jieriod of ownership of the New Nether- 
lands by the Dutch West India Company, the govern- 
ment of the Long Island towms was vested in the 
Director at New^ Amsterdam, who was represented 
locally by what was called a " schout." It seemed to 
be the general feeling, however, that the government 
of the Director resembled too nearl)' that of a dictator. 

This feeling crystalized in 1653, and Midwout sent 
two delegates, Elbert Elbertsen and Thomas Spicer, 
to a convention called to consider the entire question. 
The demand of the convention was for laws resem- 
bling more nearly those of the Fatherland. Governor 
Peter Stuyvesant, although a man of energy and 
character, was, neverless, something of a tyrant. He 
was very much incensed at this endeavor of the 
colonists to secure additional privileges, and ruled that 
the Dutch towns of Long Island had no jurisdiction 
at New Amsterdam, and ordered the con\ention dis- 
persed. 

The natural indignation of the Long Islanders at 
this summary treatment was somewhat allayed and 
their attention di\'erted for a time b)' the necessity of 




banding together for mutual protection against cer- 
tain robbers and pirates who infested the rivers and 
bays in the vicinity. So Breuckelen, Midwout and 
Amersfort formed a military company in 1654 for this 
purpose. Every third man acted as minute-man. A 
sergeant was placed in command in each village, and 
an efficient patrol organized. A little later were the 
days of the famous Captain Kidd, and though it is 
certain that he never "sailed" in the immediate 
neighborhood of Flatbush, yet tradition asserts that 
some of his gold was buried, if not within the limits of 
the town itself, certainly not far from its borders. 
Many a l^latbush boy has spent weary h()urs at the 
near-by beaches and islands in a fruitless search for 
some of the treasure safely hidden by either Captain 
Kidd or some otiier rover of the seas. 

The convention of 1653, although so displeasing to 
Stuyvesant, was not without its salutary effect, for in 




The \'anclerbilt Homestead. 



tlic followino- year tlic villa^i;cs were permittee] to send 
lists of names to the (iox'ernoi-, fiom wliieh he eliose 
loeal ma,L;ist rates. Tliese oOicers, thus inchreet 1\' cleetcd 
by the people, were eallecl " sehe])en," and were under 
the control of a District Court composetl ot delei;ates 
from each town court, as well as the " schout " trom 
each villai;'e. 'I'his District C'ouit seems to hax'c had 
control of all the affairs of the three towns, subject, of 
course, to the authorities at New yXmstcrdam. A 
further chani;e was made in 1661. when the Loni;- 
Island towns were associated toL;"ether as tlie " V'wc 
Dutch Towns " into one district and i;iven two dele- 
gates to the general government. 

In the county affairs of this early day Mitlwout 
bore a prominent [)art. It was a conmumit}' of thrifty 
farmers and tradesmen, and, from its central location, 
became the market town and the seat of the justice 
for the countx'. The poinilation increased cpiite 
rapidly, and at this time the inhabitants probably out- 
numbered those of a century later. Mrs. X'anderbilt, 
in the "Social IIistor\' of l^datbush," describes the 
characteristics of these people as those of "honest)-, 
industry, economy, prudence, self-reliance, truthful- 
ness, patience, and forbearance," and she adds : 
" Such were the characteristics of these men, and 
upon these as a foundation they laid the corner-stone 
of their home in the New World." 

In 1655 there was quite an Indian scare in Mid- 
wout. A large band of Northern hulians surprised 
the settlers on Stat en Island, murdered sixty-sex'cn 
people, and in the flush of victory turned their atten- 
tion to Long Island, attacking the Knglish settlement 





Residence of Mrs. Gertrude Lefferts Vanderbilt. 



at rinivcscnd. A ] :art\- of soldiers from New Anisler- 
clani came to the rescue, and the Inchans were ch-iven 
from the island. As a result of this raid, Governor 
Stiiyvesant ordered that Midwout be enclosed in 
"palisadoes," but it is doubtful whether this was ever 
done, for an Eni;iish record, dated December 15, 1675, 
states : " The town of Flatbush having neglected the 
making of fortifications, the court take notis of it. and 
reffer the censure to ye Governor." 

The Dutch church, however, which was built in 
1654, was probably so enclosed, as it was not an 
uncommon custom in the colonies partially to fortify 
the churches, and so provide for a central location 
where the women and children could qiiickl\- gather 
in case of sudden Indian attack. 

Co-incident with the settlement of the Dutch 
towns on the west end of Long Island there had been 
also established several English communities. The 
Dutch towns were Breuckelen, Amersfort, Vlissingen 
(Flushing), Midwout, New Utrecht and Bush wick, 
and the English settlements were Hemstead, Graves- 
end, Jamaica and Newtown, l^nglish immigrants had 
been permitted to settle after taking oath of alle- 
giance to the government at New Amsterdam. They 
were left much to themselves, however, and allowed 
practically all the advantages of local self-government. 
By comparison the Dutch were at a disadvantage, as 
they were directly subject to the arbitrary will of the 
Governor. 

Although the territory called New Netherlands 
was held by the Dutch through right of settlement 
and possession, vet all that portion of America be- 





24 




The Genitson Tide Mi 



tween the fortieth and forty-eii^hth j^arallels, north 
latitude, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, had 
been granted to the Plymouth Company in 1620 i)y 
James I. of P^ngland. A portion of this grant, which 
included Manhattan and Long Island, finally reverted 
to the Crown, and was regranted in 1664 by Charles 
II. to his brother James, Duke of York. The new 
proprietor immediately determined to take possession 
of the territory; so a small fleet of three vessels was 
sent westward for this purpose, under the command 
of Colonel Richard Nicolls. Governor Stuyvesant 
had previously learned of this projected attempt to 
seize the colony, so when the fleet appeared in the 
outer harbor, the fort at New Amsterdam was in 



readiness to mccl ihc attack. As soon as the \csscls 
had ch"o])])ed anclior inside Sand\' Hook, Cok^nel 
Nicolls sent a tonna] demand of surrender to the 
G()\ernor, whieli was pereni|)toril\- refuseck The 
("olonek instead ot entOrcini;' liis demanck landed at 
(ira\esen(k and effected his purpose tliroui;!! di})k)- 
maey. J le offered liis protection and tlie prix'ileges 
of k^nL;lish subjects to Dutcli and luii^iish alike. It 
has been ])re\iously stated that there was seiious 
dissatisfaction with the dictatorship of Stu\\esant, 
so ICni;"lish control was apparenth' not unwelcome. 
The rule of the Duke of York, thi'oui^h his represen- 
tatixe, was acce])ted, and the chani;'e of i;-o\ernment 
ver}- tjuietl)- made. Nine years later, while I'aii;iantl 
and the Netherlands were at war, a successful attempt 
was made to regain the lost possession, and New Am- 
sterdam was held b)- the Dutch ai;ain for about fifteen 
months, after which the English regained control. 

A convention called 
b\- the new (i(Aernor 
met in Hempstead in 
1665, and formal ac- 
ceptance was made by 
the various towns of 
what was known as the 
*T3uke"s Laws." The 
delegates from Mid- 
w out w ere Jo h n 
Stryker and Hendrick 
(iiicksen. The only 
serious effect of this 
Second Reformed ciiurcii. chauuc of u'o\'ernment 




27 



to Midwout was tlu' IcinporarN' rcmoxal of the ("ounty 
Court to (inucsciid, ])robal:)]}' because it was essentially 
an English town. This chani;e proved to be exceeding- 
ly inconvenient to most of the count}- towns, so in 1686 
Flatbush was again made tlie seat of justice. A' 
building was erected for the court, which was in con- 
tinuous use until 1758, wlien a new one re})]aced it. 
Tliis ser\ed its purpDse in turn until 1793, wlien a 
larger building was needed. 

Another result of l^aigiish control was the angiiciza- 
tion of man\- of the Dutch names, and Midwout, which 
had also been called I'dakkebos, now became I^dat- 
bush. Dr. Strong sa\s of the origin of this name, 
that it was gi\en to the town " from its being situated 
on an a])ixirentl\- le\el i)lain and surrounded on almost 
e\er\- side b\- wootls " ; but he adds, "it is here 
lM"oper to remark, that the ground in and al)out l^dat- 
inish is far from being a dead level. It is an inclined 
plane, gradually extending and lessening in inclination 
to its southern boundary. Hence, here are no stag- 
nant pools or marshes, but all suri)lus water from rains 
and storms, passes off gradually, but yet in a \ery short 
jx-riod, to the ocean. This renders the situation of 
the town healthful, and hence, it has seldom, it ever, 
been visited with anv i^revailing epidemic." This 
commentary on the healthfulness of Flatbush, made 
nearh' sixty \'ears ago, long before the da}s ot arti- 
ficial drainage, and written by a clergyman for his 
own people, with no thought of interesting the out- 
sider in suburban real estate, ma\- be regarded reliable 
testimony as to natural conditions in Pdatbush. 

With the advent of English rule there came to the 
old Dutch town a long period of quiet and prosi)erit}- ; 





28 




The Lefferts Homestead. 



SO for over a century there is little recorded but minor 
matters relating" to questions of title or boundary, the 
ownership of slaves, payment of rents, such details of 
disputes as were naturally a matter of court record. 

The feeling of allegiance to Holland was none the 
less real after the change of government than before. 
There is ample evidence that articles of personal 
luxury and of household decoration continued to be 
imported from the Fatherland ; Dutch was still taught 
in the village school ; what may be called the Dutch 
spirit was stimulated in the children ; of Dutch archi- 
tecture there still remain a few specimens in houses 
of perhaps from a hundred to a hundred and fifty 
years old. 



29 

The colonial troubles of the early eii^liteenth 
century did not cast a shadow on the peaceful town ; 
the French and Indian war was hut as a dark cloud on 
the far western horizon, but the War of the Revolution 
broui^ht many a trial to the people of Old l^latbush. 

The success of the American cause in l^oston 
proved a severe misfortune in and around New York, 
for after the luii^iish fleet had retired from the New 
IuiL;iand city, its course was ultimately directed 
towards Sandy Hook. Staten Island was taken, and 
a campaii;n planned involvini;- the capture of New 
York. b'or this ]:)urpose a British army of some 
20.000 men who landed at New Utrecht, and, in three 
columns, it i^radually advanced on Brooklyn — one by 
way of (iowanus, another throuL;h Flatbush, and the 
third around to the rear of (ieneral Putnam's little 
army by way of the Jamaica turnpike. 

i"he melancholy story of the Battle of Long' Island 
(August 27, 1776,) has been often told, — a stubborn 
but unsuccessful hiiht on the ixirt of the weak and 




Redoubt Overkjoking Haltle Pa.s.s. 



half-drilled patriots against the well-trained soldiers 
of many wars. The masterly retreat under the guid- 
ance of Washington prevented what might have been 
a fatal blow to the cause of liberty. 

Flatbush had been for sometime prepared for the 
arrival of hostile troops. Many families had retired 
to Queens County or to New Jersey ; the cj^ttle were 
driven northward beyond the hills, and the grain 
stacked preparatory to burning on the approach of 
the enemy. 

For purposes of defense a crescent-shaped fortifi- 
cation was thrown up across the main highway of the 
village, and the pass to Brooklyn through the hills 
was obstructed by the felling of a large tree of white 
oak which had for many years marked the boundary 
line between the two towns. It was located in what 
was known as Valley Grove, afterward called Battle 
Pass (in Prospect Park). As the English army 
advanced, a regiment of Pennsylvania troops, which 
had been guarding the sea coast, retired behind the 
intrenchments in Flatbush, but finally fell back to the 
pass in the hills, after burning much of the grain in 
the northern part of the town as well as the old 
Leffert's homestead. 

From this point of defence the central column of 
the approaching army, composed mostly of Hessians 
under General DeHeister, was held in check for a 
time by this regiment, assisted by other American 
troops under General Sullivan. But while the little 
army of patriots were engaging what was supposed to 
be the entire force of the enemy at Flatbush and 
Gowanus, the main body of the English troops made 





Battle of Lonp" Island. 



the detour to the rear, which resulted in the complete 
victory that made Valley Grove a scene of carnage. 

Until the close of the War of the Revolution and 
the evacuation of New York, Flatbush remained 
within the British lines, and though no longer in the 
midst of conflict, those of its people'^who were not 
with the Continental army and had returned to their 
homes, naturally suffered many hardships. 

Flatbush, in common with most of the Colonial 
towns, had its Whigs as well as its Tories. Among 
the latter was Colonel Axtell, an Englishman by birth, 
who occupied the old mansion afterwards called by 
Mrs. Mowatt Melrose Hall. After the departure of 
the last of the English army, of which a guard of 
fifty men had been left f(^r some time, Colonel Axtell 
raised a Tory company, which he called the Nassau 
Blues. The unpopularity of this body of men is sug- 
gested by the name given to them by the towns- 
people — that of " Nasty Blues." Fortunately they 
were not billeted upon the town, but used the Court 
House as their barracks. American prisoners were 
frequently ^quartered in the village, and it is hoped 
they found a hearty welcome. That they did not 
always receive fair treatment, is indicated by the 
experience of a Captain William Marriner, who felt 
himself to ha\'e been insulted and abused by a Tory 
clique consisting of Colonel Axtell and some of his 
friends. After he had been exchanged in 1780 he 
])lanned an expedition from New Brunswick, and with 
twent}-t\v() \-olunteers came across the harbor in a 
whale boat, landed at Bath, and attacked the liouses 
of four of the unpoi)ular Tories in Flatbush with the 



intention of capturini;" thL-m. The doors were broken 
in with heavy posts, and Major I^eaeh, Major Mon- 
crief and Colonel Sherbrook were seeured. Colonel 
Axtell and a friend who were attending some affair in 
New \'ork eseaped. 

Later, at two different times, parts of regiments 
were t|uartered in the village, but the treaty of |)eace 
in 1783 brought an end to these trials, and IHatbush 
onee more beeame the tiuiet. i)eaeefu] town. 



The Revolutionary period ma\- be said to mark a 
transition, historically considered, in the character of 
Flatbush. It is the dixiding line which separates the 
oldest and the older from the merely old. The rav- 
ages caused by the war made necessary some new 
buildings, and the imindse which ahva\'s follows a 
long period of depression also had its natural effect. 
There still remain a few fine s})ecimens of the 
architecture of this latei- eighteenth centur\- mo\e- 
ment, and in man\' respects these houses resemble 
those of the earlv Colonial days. 

The latter were usual!}- constructed of brick or 
stone, and were long, low, rambling dwellings, of 
which the distinctive feature was the broad over- 
hanging ea\-es. The gable end of the house usuallv 
turned toward the street if it chanced to run north 
and south, as does Flatbush Avenue, thus gi\ing a 
good southerly exposure, while the roof ]:)rojection 
formed an adequate shelter to the piazza. 

The windows in the oldest houses were \ery 
narrow, and often protected against possible chance 




JMJjj/^ltlj|^, i_,. 




35 




Seveiileeiith Century Scripture Tile. 



sliots from iIk' Iiulians 
by strong' ])alisaclcs, 
whiletlic main entrance 
had its t\'])ical " Dutch 
door," (H\ided across 
the centre, and the 
bulls-e}'e lights at the 
top. T \\ e r i c h 1 v 
wrougiit-iron or brass 
knocker was, ot course, 
a leature of tlie dooi". 
It is probal)le tliat onl\- 
the liouses of later 
construction had the dormer windows and the break 
in the roof which are characteristic of what is known as 
the Dutch house of to-daw 

It would, no doubt, Ix' entertaining and instructive 
to wander in imagination of a winter's e\ening into 
the inuuaculatel)- clean kitchen and living room of 
one of the old hdatbush homes, settle comfortablv 
before the great roaring fire-place and listen to the 
good house-wife while she chats of the doings and 
traditions of by-gone days ; or go with her \\\) under 
the heavy oaken rafters of the garret, and while the 
flickering light of the tallow candle makes weird and 
ghostly shadows abox'e and on the old plank floor, see 
the treasures that came from the h\atherland, or 
admh'e the fruits of the loom and the spinning-wheel ; 
or yet again delve with her into the capacious cellar 
below, with its wealth of winter jiroxisions, great bins 
ol russets and greenings, then with pitcher of sitarkl- 
ing cider, rejoin the famil}- at the fireside : — 



*As round the hearth the circle smiled, 
While log fire roared 'neath mantle tiled, 
Where, figuring- forth the scripture tale, 
P.lue Jonah fed the azure whale 1 
Wliat singing sounds ! what genial glow ! 
In Flatbush homes of long ago. 




-Adapteci from a verse from 
by Helen Gray Cone. 



Ill Cliribtnias Season Long Ago,' 




Kroiii Photo 



,f l.;iii(lscai>e Wall TajK-r in the 
IJiirvea House. 



36 

'riicpur- 
p () s c o f 
the sketch 
however, 
is rather 
with fact 
than with 
f a 11 c y , 
witli h i s - 
torv rath- 
c r t li a n 
with tradi- 
tion ; but 

it rests with the reader to hn.^er if he so desire over 
such scenes of the past as may be suggested to his 
imagination. 

The movement of recorded events in town affairs 
is now more rapid, for Flatbush as we know it is the 
result of a century's growth. Following the Revolu- 
tion, the first public improvement was the building of 
the l':rasmus Hall Academy in 1786. Certain jiublic 
lands, to which reference has been previously made, 
were sold for this purpose, and the sum of £()iS was 
raised by private subscription, both in the town and 
in the City of New York. The total cost of the 
original structure is stated by Dr. Strong to have been 

$6,250.00. 

A charter was granted by the Regents of the State 

of New York, No\ember 20, 1787, being the third 
charter so granted. 

The attention of the townspeople was ne.xt 
directed towards the erection of a new church. The 












?7 



edifice' in use had i"ci)laccd the ()ri,i;"inal stnielure about 
1698, but it had been badly eonstrueted, and althoui^ii 
of stone, tlie ])ressuix' ot the rool timl)ei's had toix'ed 
the walls out of ])luinb. It had also been damaged to 
some extent b\' the Hi'itish ;mi(1 Ilessian soldiers who 
hatl been t|uai"tered there for a time durin^i;' the war. 
The- school and the chiu"ch held an et|ual place in the 
hearts ot the ])eople ; so, following' the new I^rasmus 
Hall Acadeniw c"ime this new Reformed iJutch 
Cdiurch. The buildini;' was commenced in 1793 and 
finished three years later. In remo\ini;- the foundations 
of the older structure it was necessar\- to transfei' tlie 
remains of the man\- bodies that had for generations 
been buried under the 
chui"ch. These were 
])laced in the i;round 
in front of the j^resent 
building'. This old cus- 
tom of burial, i:)robabl\ 
oris^inatini;" in the idea 
of protecting' t h e 
graxes from desecra- 
tion b\' the Indians, 
has been suggested as 
the reason wh\' the old 
\ard contains so few 
stones of ancient date. 
What was known as 
" \'ander\-eer's Mill " 
is said to ha\e been 
the first wind-mill 

erected on I.onu' Ketonm-il Ontili church 







?y 




Feiinimore Street IM. E. Church. 



Island. It was built 
in 1804 on the John 
C. Vantlerveer farm. 
Its sails are described 
as similar in construc- 
tion to those now in 
use in Holland, and in 
their sweep reached 
\-er\- nearh' to the 
i;"round. An old cow 
of Mr. \'ander\eer's 

that was either too inquisitive, or possibly possessed 
with somethini;- of the spirit of a Don Quixote, had her 
back broken by one of the arms on itsdownward course. 

The sails were blown away in the September gale 
of 1 82 1, but were immediately replaced, and the mill 
continued in use for nearly ten years longer, when the 
sails were again destroyed and never replaced. The 
old dismantled structure, like the lonely tower of an 
ancient castle, long remained a familiar object in the 
Flatbush landscape. It w^as destroyed by fire in 1879. 
What was known as Lloyd's Mill, or the " Zabriskie 
Mill," built in 1820, was entirely novel in construc- 
tion. It was run b\- the rotary motion of a large 
circular and horizontal frame-work which su})i)()rted a 
number of fans. This mill was in use until the middle 
of the century, and was taken down in 1868, being 
superseded by the tide mills at New Lots and Flat- 
lands, which, having more power and larger stones, 
made a finer and better flour. 

The war of 1812 was the next event of national 
importance after the Revolution that deeply stirred all 



40 

sections of the land. The fear of British invasion 
extended along" the coast from Maine to Florida. 
Probably with mem(jries of the past successful attempt 
of the English to approach New York by the way of 
Flatbush, the government built a small arsenal or gun- 
house for fieldpieces on the old school house lot in 
h'latbush. Fortunatel}- for this section of the country 
the tide of warfare surged to the south, and victory 
soon came to the American arms as the conflict came 
to an end in 1814. 

Hie Dutch ha\e always had a passion for trees 
and shubber>-, for plants and flowers. Their great 
speculation in tulips is historic, and tulips still remain 
the favorite fiower. Their kindred in this country 
have inherited this love for the beautiful, and Flat- 
bush, in particular, has long had the reputation of being 
the garden of Long Island. Even to-day certain rare 
varities of plants or bulbs are imported from abroad, 
and nearly every place in the community shows that 
there has at least been an attemi:)t to make it pictur- 
escjue and attractive. 

From the days when Flatbush .\\enue was but an 
Indian trail, nature has lavished her beauties uj^on the 
place, and, until the warning voice of science said that 
some of the great trees must go, each street was a 
veritable bower. In the earl}' part of the century 
poplars were the favorite tree, and a large number 
imported from Lombard)- were planted in various 
parts of the town in 181 2. Later, weeping willows 
were the fad, and many were j^lanted, though but few 
of this short-li\'ed variety now remain. A sketch of 
the Reformed Church made in 1842 shows it to have 
been'surrounded by these trees. 







41 



The next recoicletl e\ent in I'latbusli affairs is the 
or^-anization of the Matbush l'"ire l-ai-ine Company 
in 1821. An eni;"ine was pureliasetl iour )ears later, 
antl was of the f()ree-i)unip \ariet_\-. witli loni;" arms. 
Its f)ox-like reserx'oir was su])i)liecl by jxissini;" buekets 
from man to man from tlie most eonxenient pumjo 
or well. It proved ineffieient when the Court House 
was destroxetl b\ hre in 1832, and was rei)laee(l by a 
lari^er and more powerful machine, which was named 
\\'ashini;lon Xo. 1. Later, the eni;ine comi)an}- be- 
came an efficient and powerful xolunteer ori;'anization, 
and man)- of the ])rominent men in the community 
w^ere among its members With consolidation, the 
Brookhn 1^'ire Department absoi-bed the local com- 
pany, and now at least three well-equipped stations 
are ready da\- antl ni,u:ht, and i;ive a serxaee that is 
nnsnrixissed in an\- other part of the cit)-. 

Althoui;h at one time Flatbush exceeded Brooklx'n 
in the number of inhabitants, the j)roximit}' ot the 
latter to New York now began to be felt, so. when the 
Court Mouse in Flatbush was destroyed, the seat of 
justice was transferred to Brooklxn, as nearer the 
center of population. 

The time had now passed when Flatbush could 
remain isolated. Men of prominence in Brooklyn 
and New \'ork circles li\'ed in the town, and 
transit was not alwaxs eonxenient h\ prixate conxex- 
ance. In 1830 a line of stages was started by Smith 
Birdsall. xx'hich left for Brooklx'n in the morning and 
returned at night. Other lines tolloxxeJ in time, 
running at increasingly short interxals, until the intro- 
duction of street cars in i860. 'I"he coach-and-four. 





Photo by Geo. M. Boarrlman. 

A Bit of Pardaegat Woods. 
Reservation of the Flatbush Water Works. 



43 



or la!ly-h«> coach, as it is now called, is a common slight 
in Malbusli, the ,i;-ay parties from New N'ork or 
Brooklyn fret|uently drixini;- tln-oui;-h the i)ark and 
down the l^onlexard to the ocean, hnt se\-enty years 
ai;-o the advent of such an equipai^e with its lour 
horses, was an occurrence of no small interest in the 
quiet community, and an opjiortunity tor a first ride 
to l'\ilton Ferry was an event looked forward to with 
anticipation b)- both youny," and old. 

I'datbush at this and later times had several hotels, 
but. perhaps, the most interesting" and picturesque 
was that kept b\- the "Widow Schoonmaker " on 
l^latbush xA.venue, in the front of which old imi hung 
the sign of the " Lion and the l^nicorn." 

(Growing from the direct and regular conununica- 
tion bv stage between Matbush and l^rooklyn, changes 
suggestive of the future. cit_\ improvements slowly, 
but surely, came to the suburban town. A board of 
health was organized in 1832; Johnson and l^h-asmus 
Streets laid out on city lines in 1834; a new public 
school house built in 1843; the l^datbush Plank Road 
Comixmy organized in 1855. and l^datbush Avenue 
opened to Brooklyn in 1858. 

Out of the opening of the first streets, in which a 
number of Englishmen settled, grew the movement 
which resulted in the establishment of St. Paul's 
Protestant PLpiscopal Church, organized July 11. 
1836; and as the natural growth of the town also 
brought the need of churches of other denominations, 
the First M. \l. Church of Platbush (Leno.x Road 
M. I^. Church) was organized in 1854. and the Holy 
Cross R. C. Church in 1848. But the doom of Pdat- 





44 




East 26th Street. South Midwood. Winter of iStjcj. 




Permission Germania Real Estatr .ml I iimi i\ einent Co. 

Same Location. Fall of 1900. 



4=i 



Inisli as a (.'ountr)- ])lacc was forever sealed when in 
July, i860, the first ear of the Brooklyn City R. R. 
("o. was (h'i\'en into tlie town. Now came some lart;"e 
and important moxements in this new era of develoj^- 
ment, which resulted in the establishment of the Cias 
Companw theformation of the hdathush Water Works 
C"omi)an\", and the sewerini;' of the streets. 

These successix'C steps in the march of im]:)ro\c- 
ment were all necessar}- to the i;rowinij,- town, l^ut 
what tlifferentiates hdatbush i^articularh' from the 
average cit}- sul^urb, is its most excellent and unusual 
water supplw This comes from a number of open 
and drixen wells, situated in a reser\ation of some 
sixty acres in the southeasterlv ixirt of the town. 
These wells a\erage a depth of fort\--h\'e feet, and 
during continued drought there is no diminution in 
the amount of su]ipl)-, but the water keei)s bubbling 
up to tidedexel as cool and pure and sparkling as if 
trom a mountain spring. This indicates that it is no 
mere surlace water, but comes through a subteri'anean 
c h a n n e 1 , 
probabh' un- 
ci e r I , o n g 
Island 
Sound, from 
h i g h e r 
sources in 
the distant 
mountains. 

It is not 
within t h e 

scope of this St. Paurs p. E. Chmch. 



■fi H' 






*'li-'' T- 
UJi' • it"- 




. J- 


"■==^ 







46 

chapter to give the details, or even to mention the vari- 
ous city improvements that now came in quick success- 
ion to Flatbush. From the Past to the Present can be 
sketched, but the Present is ever ehisive, for, like a 
playful child darting from the sight of the parent, the 
Present is ever playing hide-and-seek with the Past. 
A snap-shot at the Present, however, which gives but 
an inadequate picture, shows P^latbush transformed 
from a peaceful rural community into a progressive, 
attractive and beautiful section in one of the greatest 
cities of the world. 



A 



■&*::^ 



' ^'C 



y~-^ 






Baplisl Cliuich of Ihe Redeemer 




EDVCMiON 



Chapter I'wo 

Ar a meeting;" of the Anistertlam Ucpartment ot 
the Dutch West Incha Company, held on 
Thursday. April lO. 1659, among- other mat- 
ters pertaining to the welfare of the I_)utch Colony of 
New Netherlands, the question of engaging a Latin 
schoolmaster was discussed. In one of the old record 
books of the C/omi)an\- are the minutes of this meet- 
ing, which state, in i)art. that. " Before the Board 
appeared Alexander Carolus Cursius. late Professor 
in Lithuania, mentioned in former minutes, who 
offered his services. After a vote had been taken, 
he was engaged as Latin schoolmaster in New Nether- 
lands at a vearly salar\()f 500 florins, of which one- 
quarter shall be paid him in adx'ance. that he may 
procure what books he requires. The Board further 
grants him a gratuity of 100 florins, which the Com- 
panv will la\' out in awailable merchandise to be used 
by him upon his arri\al in New Netherlands, where a 
piece of land comenient for a garden or orchard shall 



be allotted to him by the Director-General. He shall 
also be allowed to give private instructions, so far as 
this can be done without i^reiiidice to the duties for 




,ion Dr. Willis Bou:4lit. iii. 

Rev. John H. Livingston 
I'"irst Principal Mrasmus Hall. 



which he is engaged." This action of the Board well 
illustrates the attitude of this commercial i)coi)le in 
relation to hiijher education. 



The suLccss of the nuU'h Republic came from an 
adlierence to the iirinciples based on free ediicaticni, 
free clnirch. and free state. A lastini;" monument of 
its apjM'eciation of the \alue of education is tlie 
I'nixersitv of Leyden, founded in commemoration of 
tlu' \ ictor\ of the besiei;ed city over the Spaniards in 
tlie i;reat stru,L;>;ie for liberty. As in the Fatherland, 
so it was in the Colonies. lulucation was regarded as 
of jirimar}- im])ortance, and the schoolmaster Isecame 
an im])ortant factor in town lite. 

W'ashini^ton Irxiui;- has seen tit to caricature the 
\illai;"e schoolmaster in Ichabod Crane, the teacher of 
the little Dutch community of Sleepy Hollow, but the 
jiicture is an unfair one, as the schoolmaster was 
usually a man of ability and learnin,i;-, who occupied a 
dit;'nified and respected place in the communitw This 
is particularh true of l^datbush, where the teachers 
were frequenth' men of unixersity education. 

As hdatbush remained a \ery small town for o\er 
two centuries, the compensation of the schoolmaster 
was necessarih" small, so, under town re\i;u]ations, he 
was <;"iven other opportunities of earning" a li\-elihood, 
frequently acting as town clerk, chorister, se.xton, and 
occasionalU' as the minister. 

Dutch was taught exclusixel)' in the \illage school 
until about 1762, but it was not until fifteen years later 
that it was entireh' dropped from the course of stud)-. 

About this time the first classical school was started 
bv John Coj^p, but it seems to ha\'e been short-lived, 
for Mr. Cnpp soon joined the Rexolutionary Army. 

Flatbush had been for some time the Count}' Seat, 
and conse(|uenth- man\- law\ers and men of promi- 





One of the Art Studios. Krasmus Hall. 



nence were its ti"ec|uent xisltors. Neither was it 
unknown, even at this early day, as a desirable place 
for suburban residence, as a few wealthy New Yorkers 
spent at least a portion of the year in the town. 
Consequently, when the Rev. John H. Livingston 
and Senator John Vanderbilt started the movement 
which resulted in the establishment of the Erasmus 
Hall Academy, it found read)- su]:)port among' many 
prominent men in New York, as well as among the 
progressive }^eople in the town. It is interesting to 
note among the many contributors to the enterprise 
such names as Alexander Hamilton, Aaron Burr, 
lohn Jay, George Clinton, and among the familiar 
local names, those of \'anderbilt, Lefferts, Martense, 
Clarkson, Lott, Vanderx'cer, Voorhies, Su^•dam. 



5? 




Tlie Chemical Laboratorv, 



Durini;" 1/86 Erasmus Hall Acaclcm)- was erected, 
and the ()rii;inal building has remained in a good state 
of preservation until to-day. During these years 
Erasmus Hall has supplied the need for higher edu- 
cation in the community, and has evidently been a 
popular school, securing patronage, not only in Elat- 
bush, but from \arious i)arts of the United States, 
Mexico, and the West Indies. 

What is supposed to ha\e been the first xillage 
school house stood on a plot to the north of Erasmus 
Hall campus, and remained in use for o\er a century 
and a half. Additions were made as needed, so, when 
it was sold, in 1803, for use as a \-illage store, and the 
school moved to the Academy, it was composed (^f 
three small buildings joined together. 



Ill 1844 the trustees i)f the Acadcni) rctiiK'stcil the 
ti)\\n to prox idc other aeconiinoclations tor the public 
school, and this resulted in the erection ol a lai",i;e 
frame buildini; near the site of the present brick 
structure (School 90, on Chuich Avenue), which was 
known as I'ublic School 1. The upper \rdvi of the 
buildin.L; was for a time used as a court room. 

In the sprini;' of 18/8 the town ajjpiopriated 
:j>l9.000 fo]- the erection of a new bi'ick building;', 
which was completed the followin-' fall. Durin-' the 
succeedini;" \ ears, with the growth ol population and 
the mer^'ini;' of the bdatbush schools into the educa- 
tional s)stem of Hrookhn, there has been tlexeloped 
si.\ well-ec|uii)ped schools in \arious ])arts ot what is 
now known as the Twent) -ninth Ward. 

A new buildinu' is soon to be erected on Axenue (', 



)etween luist 13th and 14th Street; 



The 



call for a foui'-stor\- structui'c ot li,i;"ht colored l)rick. 
handsomeh' ornamented, with jjcrfect \entilation and 
sanitation, includini;- ample space for kindert;arten, 
ii,'ymnasium and asscmbl)'. Nearl\- 50.000 scpiare feet 
will be used for a ]da}- i;round. 

The crownin.ij," feature of the educational system 
of Hrookhn has been the dexelopment of the I lii;'h 
schools. The School Board of the Boroui;'h. as at 
j^resent ort;'anized. tlele.^ates local committees to each 
scho(»l. hdatbush has been particular!)- fortunate in 
ha\in,i;" a class of men on these committees who ha\e 
had constantly before them the aim of obtaining lor 
their schools the hii^diest j^ossible standard ot excel- 
lence in educational work. 

As a result of the effort of the local Committee, in 
co-operation with its i)rincipal. Dr. Walter 15. (am- 




>7 

nison, Krasnuis 1 lall IIiL;h School to-day stands at 
tlic head of the hii;h schools of the cit)-, not onl)- as 
an institution of learnini;", but also as a school in life 
training-, well equipped to start on a career ot useful- 
ness youui;' manhood and }'Oung womanhood. 

Under the wise guidance of its ])rinci]xal. there has 
been dexeloped among the pupils much of the fi-eedom 
and man)- of the interests of college life. The pett}- 
restrictions, which narrow the teacher and irritate the 
scholar, are not to l)e found at I'j'asmus Hall ; \et he 
who would abuse his privileges finds that the iron 
hand of disci] )line is exer present. 

Erasmus Hall, in some respects, out-ranks itself . 
It is a great institutional school. Starting with a 
corps of eleven assistant teachers and two hundred 
pupils, when Dr. (lunnison was made the first princi- 
]ial, in 1S96, as a school in the l^rooklyn Educational 
System, it to-day has some si.xt)- teachers and se\'en- 
teen hundred scholars. Work of some kind is in 
progress in the building from eight o'clock in the 
morning until fixe o'clock at night, six days in the 
week. During the afternoon a teacher is stationed in 
the reception hall to greet visitors, and one is also in 
charge during the day on Saturda}', to attend to any 
immediate or necessary business. 

Both the pupil and the teacher are thus, as well as 
in other ways, made to feel that Erasmus is the school- 
home, where there is always some one to give assist- 
ance, or sympathize in time of trouble. Even the 
outsider who cares to get something of the Erasmian 
spirit is accorded a hearty welcome. 

Scholars come to Elatbush from all sections of the 
city, and the trip, either through Prospect Park, down 



59 




Photo by Harry S. Shapter 



Scene I'rospect I'ark. 



Ocean Avenue, or from almost an\- ])oint ot a})i~)rt)acb. 
givini;', as it does, plenty of fresh air and sunshine, 
glini])ses of beautiful residences and well-kept grounds, 
and an occasional touch ot nature, must be an inl 
ence which makes each da}- both brighter ;i 
hap]Mer. 

No unim})ortant })art in the de\'elopment of 
pupil, aside from the mere routine of study, is 
influence that comes through association with 
professors of unix'ersity education. fi"om the 
cultivation of the taste for music and for art. 
from the training of the faculties in debate, 
from the growth of healthy moral and ])h)-sical 
tone through athletics, and from the general 




6o 



culture whicli the atmosphere of such a life must 
surely bring. 

The people of Flatbush, indeed, ma)^ well be proud 
of Erasmus Hall High School. Plans are in progress 
for a new building, well equipped as is possible in 
this day of pr()gressive improvement, with all that is 
needful to maintain the excellence and increase, if 
possible, the efficiency of this historic school. Those 
who love so dearly the old Colonial building, with its 
many associations, that has so long faced the campus 
of stately sycamore, will regret that it may soon be 
but a memory. On the other hand, it will be a matter 
of general pride in the community to feel that a step 
will be taken which may bring, in the ripeness of time, 
to this section of the city, a great public university 
bearing the name of the illustrious Erasmus. Flat- 
bush also shares with Brooklyn the Public Library, with 
its admirable local Branch, as well as the great people's 
university, the Brooklyn Institute of Arts and 
Sciences. 







Chapter Three 



FRO>r wampum to the gold standard is an e\()kition 
in finance. Often in the ahsence of the pre- 
cious metals, that which was most desired in a 
community has heen used as a standard of xalue, such 
as iron, cattle, wheat, salt, silk, furs, dried fish, rice 
and oil. The colonists in America had very little 
coined money and for many years tohacco and Indian 
wampum became the medium of exchange. Tobacco 
proved to be an imsatisfactory form of money, although 
it was used for nearly two centuries in \'arious parts 
of the South. It fluctuated violently in value and 
was constantly the cause of business trouble. Wam- 
pum was popular with the Indians and came 
into quite general use among the early settlers 
of New P^ngland and the New Netherlands, ])ar- 
ticularly as a medium of exchange in the fui" 
trade, which formed a large part of C^)lonia 
traffic. It did not entirel)- disap})ear from thv 
currency of the Colonies until the eighteentli 
century. 

Among the man}- names b)' which L 
Island has been warioush- called, such as Nas: 




(52 

Isle dc I'Assension, Capo dc Olympo, is the Indian 
name of Seawanhacky, the "the seawan country." 
The word seawant (loose or loose beads), applied to 
money made from shells, has the same root as this 
word. The sandy shores of the many inlets of Long- 
Island were strewn with shells from the scallop, peri- 
winkle, and clam ; and the primitive Indian, as does 
the child of to-day, had an admiration for the beauties 
of shape and coloring of these treasures cast up by 
the sea. 

Wampum (white) the term by which all kinds of 
shell money is more familiarly known, was made from 
the periwinkle and hard-shell clam by rubbing the 
piece selected on a stone until it was round and smooth 
and the thickness of a pipe stem. It was cut into 
sections a quarter of an inch long, pierced with a drill, 
and either strung as beads or made into belts. 

The \'alue of wampum in Colonial times was not 
particularly affected by the quantity of the shells ; 
but came from the labor involved in making the beads 
as well as from the fact that the Indians would always 
sell their furs for this kind of money. The Dutch 
called wampum zewant, and with them four beads 
passed for a stiver. Later, strings of wampum were 
called fathoms, and xaried in value from five to ten 
shillings. Black wampum, made from the dark purple 
eye of the round clam, was worth twice as much as 
white wampum, made from the inner whorl of the 
periwinkle. 

An interesting illustration of the use of wampum 
in Flatbush is noted in the purchase of land, when, in 
1670, Eskemoppas, Sachem of R(^ckawa)-, and his 



two brothers, clainK'd to be tlic true Indian owners of 
I-datbiisli. Tl-ie Duteb inhabitants, in order that there 
niij^-ht Ix- no t'urthei- c|uestion as to the title of the 
section, took a ^Wc^\ lor tlie property, with the follow- 
in- consideration : Ten tatlionis of black sea want 
(wampum), ten fathoms of white seawant, five coatii, 
four blankets, two i;'uns, two pistols, five double hand- 
fulls of powder, hve bars of lead, ten knives, two 
ai)rons, one-half barrel of stroni;- beer, three cans of 
branch", and six shirts. 

In Bergen Island ha\e been foimd lari;e deposits 
of mutilated shells, indicatiui;- that the Indians made 
use of this secluded spot as a kind of wampum mint. 

The Dutch and their descendants in Flatbush have 
always been a sa\ ing ix'o]:)le ; and althoui^h in early 
da\s there was but little coined mone\' used in the 
communit\-, what did conic into the possession of the 
thriftv farmers was carefully laid away in the treasure 
box and hid behind some secret panel, or was buried 
in some secluded s])ot on the farm as was the i^'old of 
tlie innnortal C'aptain Kidd. In daxs i^one b}' the plow 
has not infrequentb' broui;'ht to lii^'ht coins of ancient 
date, buried. i)erchance, by those who but robbed 
themsehes. The false bottom to the ,i;reat oaken 
chest, or a secret drawer in the tamih' desk, were 
fa\-orite j^laces to secrete the hartbearned treasure. 

In Re\-olutionar\- times the ix'ople of bdatbush who 
did not join the Continental Arm\' had but little op- 
j)ortimitv of o]X'nl_\' showini;' their |)atriotism, owin^; 
to the constant presence of Hiitish soldiers in the 
town ; but there is exidence that nnich coined mone)' 
was i;'i\"en or loaned to the (ioxei'nment at this critical 




C4 



period, when the C^)ntinental ]3a])er money was of but 
little value. 

It has been deemed somewhat remarkable that 
during the two himdred and fifty years of its history 
Flatbush has had no bankinu' institution until the 




establishment of the Flatbush Trust Company in 
1899 ; but it must be borne in mind that until within 
the last ten years the j^opulation has been small and 
that while it w^as mainly a farming section, the great 
wagons of produce made frequent trips to Brooklyn, 
where most of the business was done. When this 
almost entirely ceased and farms became so desirable 
for the residential jiarks which now characterize the 
section, the population increased rapidly and with it 
the necessity of banking accommodation. 



65 




Ladit 



Room. Flatl)ush Trust Company 



llicrc is one feature of tlie suburban s])ii"il whicli 
is particularh' faxorable to the estalDJishment of local 
institutions, and that is the intense feelini;- of loyalt)' 
which exists in such a communit)' as Flatbush. Tliis 
spirit was ])articularl\' evidenced at tlie inception of 
the first bankini;' mox'cment, when a large number of 
representati\'e citizens gathered together to consider 
the desirabihty of establishing" some kind of bank. 
After due consideration, it was determined that the 
trust company, a combination ot bank, sa\'ings bank 
and trustee, was the form of banking institution best 
suited to the needs of the communit}'. 

The term " trust " is often misused, and there is a 
wides])i"ead misconception as to the actual meaning of 



llu' word, bolli as used in busiiK'ss and Uaiikiiii;'. Ilie 
tcnii ori^inalh incant, and still means, in hankini;' at 
least, just what it plain h' e.\])i-esses, triisU c~()nfidence 
in, all that is meant 1)\ theterm " ti-usteeship." Refer- 
ring;" to i;enei'al business, the term is often made 
s\non\-mous with moiio])o]\ ; tor when man}' of the 
]ari;'e eapitalistit' eombinations were orii^inalK' formed, 
tlie small eompanies oi' firms tuiaied o\er their stoek 
or ,L;'a\e their powei's of attoi-ne\- to a eentral eompanx' 
who beeame "trustee," or \ iitualh' manai^er, for all. 
Henee theterm "tiust." 

I'ntil the adxent of the trust eomixin}-, relatives or 
trust etl friends were ehosen to aet as exeeutors and 
trustees under wills or b)- the order ot the Court. 
The \ar\ini;' eonditions of modern business lile, how- 
e\er, with its rush, its s|)eeulations, its jxinies, soon 
made neeessar\' some form of or^i^anized trust eeshij), 
and the trust eomjjanw repi'esenting stability and 
peri)etuit\-, \\as evoked aftei" much careful plannini;'. 
Idle following- has been i;-i\en as a description of a 
trust com])an\'s functions : " It can be your gaiardian 
or curator when \-ou are under aL;"e ; your agent or 
trustee when \<)u ai'c j^-rown, if )()u are sane; your 
committee or ;j,'uardian if }-ou are insane ; )-our assii^nee 
if x'our bankruptcx' is \-oluntar\', \our recei\"er if it is 
in\dluntar\ ; \our most \aluable friend while )-ou live, 
and \dur executor, administrator oi" testamentary 
trustee when \ou die." A trust company also does 
a ,L;"eneral bankini;' l)usiness, makini;' a s})ecialt}^ of 
famil\- and indixidual accounts, loanini;' or recei\-int;' on 
deposit mone\' on which interest is allowed, thus par- 
takini; parth" of the nature of a sa\-in,<4's bank. 



68 



The foret^'oini;' is a di^^'ression from the historical 
development of the subject of this chapter, but ques- 
tions are so often asked on these \'er}' themes that the 
simple explanation may not be amiss. As resulting' 
from the mox'ement to which reference has been made, 
the Flatbush Trust Compan)- was ori^anized in 1899, 
with a capital of $200,000 and a })aid-in surplus of 
$100,000. Its doors were opened for business on the 
20th of juh' in that year. That its }M"esence in the 
communit}' was needed ma}' be judged from the 
record of its first year's business. The progress, as 
reported to the Board of Directors, from time to 
time, was as follows : 



July . . 20. 1S99 35 

October 19. 1S99 235 

January 19. 1900 356 

April . 19. 1900 497 

July . . 19. 1900 646 



. 260,803.78 
■ 4^3-97 '-66 
. 542,638.16 
• 639.569.17 



This ended the first )-ear of business. 

It would no doubt be of interest to the Dutch fore- 
fathers to know of the existence of a banking" institu- 
tion in Flatbush, particulary one that can drawdirectly 
on banks in the cities of Amsterdam, The Hague, 
Rotterdam and Utrecht, in Holland ; as well as on 
banks in the other principal cities of Great Britain 
and Europe. With the support which has been so 
generously given to the Flatbush Trust Compan}- b}- 
its present depositors, and with the natural growth of 
the commuriit\-, the institution should continue to be 
a growing power in the financial life of the cit}'. 



JCri 



■f^Wm^ ''':!^^-~■^-' 



■■^^^' 



"^m 






<^^, 
.^3, 



.fg 











PREJENT 

.^ -% Sbs ^■=^^..;,^. 



Chapter Kour 

EDWAKi) lIoWAKD ( i i< K .( .s ()] )cns his rccciit publica- 
tion, "The New Humanism." witli the statement 
that " The intellectual \itality of an ei)och is 
tletermined less h\ the amount of accumulated knowi- 
edt;"e than by the measure of acti\it_\- and i;-ro\vth lliat 
is present," and con- 
tinuini;" after reference 
to the Alexandrine 
and Periclean ages, he 
closes the para-rai)h 
by saying that "luich 
epoch must be ferti- 
lized anew b}' S(»me 
fresh mo\ement ot 
thought if it is to 
h a \- e t h e h i g h e s t 
measure of intellec- 
tual life." 

Although Profes- 
sor (niu'U'S enimciateS Lenox Koa.l M. I".. Clnnvh. 




72 



L '' -^- ^' 


. 


*-. 




■bo 


.^ ■ ■ JfElaligMli^B 


w^ 


W^ 


■-^ 



of Poimdb & Decker. 

East Se\'enteenth Street. Beverley Square. 



these principles in opening a chapter on the " Scien- 
tific Stuclv of the Higher Human Life,'" they are none 
tlie less applicahle and suggestive in a consideration 
of more ordinary human affairs. What may be 
termed the Flatbush Epoch in New York suburban 
life has been vitalized by a large measure of activity 

and growth as well as 
stimulated by many 
fresh movements in 
home development. 

The Present in 
i^latbush is the result 
of an e\()lution that 
can be traced back to 
the Indians of the 
tribe of the Canar- 

Holv Cros? R. C. Church. sics. whoSC huutiug 




13 

i;r()inuls were in the 

t li i c k forests and 

wliose planting" lands 

were on the tertile 

])lains. To and from 

tlieir \isits to their 

friends of the I])he- 

toni;'a and Ahrieka- 

w\ek tribes on the 

nortli. tliese IncHans 

made a trail whieli 

attraeted the attention of the Duteh exjjlorers of the 

earl\- seventeenth eentury, who were searehini;- for a 

home in the wilderness. They used it as the principal 

avenue of their little hamlet. Time has brought its 

chauij-es and the liouses of these early settlers are not 




I'lopiised N'aiulrrv rer I';u1< M. I-'., (/liurcli. 




T\-pica] Flatl)u.sh Sidewalk. 

}'"ort Hamiltmi A\eiiue. 




15 

even a memovN, hut [•■lalhush A\enue remains a wind- 
ins; street, a suL;i;esti()n of the old path throui^h llic 
woods. Yet Flatbusli has some interestini;- old houses, 
suggestive of the C^)lonial days. Of these, the oldest 
is what is known as the j. C". Hergen house, situated 
at the corner of Albemarle Road and l^datbush Avenue. 
It was built in 1735. Other old houses ma\- be given 
the names of their original owners, as Vanderveer. 
Ditnias, Duryea, Sehoonmaeher, l^irdsall. X'ander- 
bilt. Martense and Lefferts Although built in the 
Past they are still of the Present, a picturesque touch 
among more modern dwellings. An examination of 
the structural work in some of these old buildings — 
the heavy timbers, the hand-made shingles, the hand- 
wrought nails, the tine interior hnish — is both sug- 
gestive and instructi\e. even in this day of improve- 
ment. 

An honest job that'.s done with care. 
Will .stand lon.t;' ycar.s of wear and tear. 

Besides these old farmhouses, Platbush Avenue is 
characterized by main old and stately residences, like 
the riarkson mansion, now occupied by the Midwood 
("lub. but of too recent date to be of any special his- 
torical interest. Dr. Strong refers to the remark of a 
gentleman from Pittsburgh, who visited the town in 
the thii-ties, who called Pdatbush " a village of palaces." 

It was about this time that Willinck. after whom 
one of the entrances to Prospect Park is named, 
erected a large residence at the entrance to the town, 
and, in 1836, Mr. Mowatt bought for his wife the tine 
place that was known as Melrose Hall. The old man- 
sion stood for manv years at the end of the long 



axemic of statch' pines wliich is one of llic features of 
r'latbush ; but in 1880, when Dr. Homer L. Bartlett 
laid out Melrose Park, tlie \vini;"s of the Hall were torn 
down and the main buildiiii;" removed to Bedford 
Avenue, near W'inthrop Street. 

In her autobio_^"ra]:)hy, Anna Cora Mowatt s])eaks of 
her life in l^datbush and of her home. " 1 was e.vces- 
sively fond of the countr}' and earl)- in the spring" 
(1835) Mr. Mowatt took me to reside in Flatbush, 
Long' Island. The house in whieh we boarded was a 
large, old-fashioned mansion, built before the Rexo- 
lution (1750), and had belonged to General Giles. There 
were dark and spaeious waults beneath the kitchen, 
where it was 
said that Eng- 
lish i)risoners 
had been con- 
fined, and there 
was a secret 
chamber above 
the great ball- 
room, to which 
no access could 
be found, save 
by a small wiii- 
d o w . T h L- 
neighbors af- 
firmed that a 
young girl had 
been purpose- 
ly starved to I'ennissionofDr.noinerL. Butlett. 
death in that .Melrose Hall, 




79 




CliaiR'l. 



chun.hci'. and thai luT i;h<ist 
waiulcrod at ni-lu al)()ut the 
house. IiulcccK this report 
had i;ained sucli eredeneethat 
nothiiii;- eoultl ha\e induced 
man_\- ot'theoldei' inhabitants 
of tiie villa-e to i)ass a ni,<;ht 
heneatli the haunted root. 
1 Ix'coiueso nuieh 
attached to this jdaee that Mr. 
Mowatt pureliased it tor my 
i^rati heat ion ; stipulatini;. how- 
ever, that 1 should content myself in passinj;- the 

i;'reater portion of the 
year in the country, 
I i^ladh' consented. 
The house was re- 
]xiired and refurn- 
ished ; the .gardens 
and orchards enkuxed, 
and planted with an 
iiuiunierable \' a r iety 
of fruit trees and 
flowers 




I Cipii^l Cliun 



We i;'ave to our place the 
name of Melrose, not from 
an\' likeness it bore to Mel- 
rose Abbe)-, but on account 
of the abundance of roses 
that filled our greenhouses 
and covered the <;"rounds." 




U\ u 1 i.iu Church. 



8i 



The first real estate moxeineiit in l-'lathush, when 
farm |)r<)i)ert\- was dexeloped with an_\ i)artieular sys- 
tem, was in 1S34. when (iarrett I.. Martense opened 
Erasmus Street, and Matthew ( larkson, Clarkson 
Street. Two ^ ears later portions oi the Miehal Neeftis 
and Sehoonmaeker farms were developed by W'illinck 
and X'anderveer, and W-rnon Avenue was opened. In 
1852 the settlement of (ireenheld, now I'arkxille, was 
commeneed on portions of the farms ol Daxid John- 
son and Henr^• S. Ditmas. The stagedine transit of 
this early day did not give a suifieient im]K'tus tor a 
suburban movement, and no further attemi)t was made 
at larg-e improvements until attention was direeted to 





Coitehou Club. 

the I'datbush section b)' street-car communication and 
the development of Prospect Park. This beautiful 
pleasure-ground, commenced in 1862, includes nearly 
two hundred and fifty acres of Flatbush property 
which was purchased In- the I'ark Commissioners 
mainlv from the Martense and X'anderbilt estates. 



82 




l■lalbu^h ("ii.t 



iLioiml L hu 



This great re- 
servation of 
nature's handi- 
work, l\'ing as 
it does on 
llie \er)- l:ioi-der 
of Flat bush, 
suggests the 
beauties and 
possil)ilities of 
further park 
development 
in the residential section to the south. It is as well a 
jDlace of recreation and enjoyment, and has been and 
will be of infinite value to the local district which has 
thus been reserved for tlie highest type of modern 
home development, the sulnn-ban home in the midst 
of the city. 

k'rom 1868 to 1872 there were several movements 
in real estate stimulated by the presence of the Park. 
The first of these was the opening of Diamond Street 
(now Lenox Road), on tlie lolm Lott farm, by Aaron 
ST^obbins, on strict 1\' 
city lines, with as- 
phalt p ave m e n t , 
curbed gutters, and 
sidewalk laid beween 
double rows of shade 
trees. 

During the same 
year a syndicate, 
headed b\' \\'illiam ( ). 

I'roposed Cliaiiel of iIk- Xatixily. 





Street in \'an(kT\'ci;r I'ark. 

Mills (1868), bou-ht the Helen Martcnsc farm and 
opened Linden Honlexard, antl the same \eai". Wil- 
liam Matthews, on the Samuel (i. Lott farm, laid out 
\\'a\ei-le\- Axenue (sinee closed) and projected that 
de\'elopment now called Matthews Park. The follow- 
ing' year Robert S, Walker and others bought a por- 
tion of the Isaac Cortehou farm and opened Win- 
throp and Hawthorne Streets. 

South of Prospect Park is the beautiful stretch of 
greensward called the Parade (irounds. d'his was 
l^urchased in 1872 b\ the C'oimt\- of Kings Irom the 
Kstate of Susan ("aton, and has since been used tor 
\arious purposes, both militarx' and athletic. 

In 1877 Dr. Homer L. Hartlett o|)ened P'ennimore 
Street, and in 1883, piu"chased the Meli-ose ])roperty 
from I)r. fohn Robinson. A large real estate mo\e- 



84 




l\nickt'rl)()cki r Field Club. 

mcnt was projected untler the name of Melrose Park, 
Init the sale to many peoj^le was made unnecessary by 
the purchase of nearly the entire proi)erty by one indi- 
vidual. In 1885 Avenue A was opened by the estate 
of John C. Ber<;en, and in 1886 the Tennis Court 
section, includini;- portions of Ocean Avenue, East 
1 8th and Hast 19th Streets, and the Knickerbocker 
Field Club i;rounds, was improved by Richard Ficken. 
in 1892 a movement of large proportions was 
started bv the (iermania Real Instate and Improve- 
ment Companv, which has culmmated in the develop- 
ment of the highly restricted residential section known 
as South Midwood. b'arms, both in Flatbush and to 
the south, were successi\ ely purchased, developed, and 
sold. That i^ortion of this development which is 
known as \'ander\eer Park included the X'andervcer, 
Cortelyou, Antonides, Lott and Hubbard farms, Bay 



,111- 




3^*^ •■^"p*--^ 



Proposed 
l"l;al)iisli rniUiiiaii Ch\iH-li, 



8:; 

\'ie\v lleii;hts, tlic W'xckofT and X'ooiiiics farms 
colli Park, the Kouwcnhox en tarni, and Sduth Mid- 
wood, the lohn A. 1 ,oU larm. 

TIk' first SL'i'tion of South Midwood wliicli has hern 
imiM"()\cd durin,^" the past \ear iiu-ludes Aniersfort, 
Mansfickh Delamere, 
I'dmore and Kenmore 
I'laces. and Bedford 
ami ( )ccan A\ eiuies. 

These streets ha\e 
heen macadamized 
and curhed and rows 
of maple and po])lar 
trees planted on each 
side of the cosmocrete 
sidewalks, kdowers and shruhs .uixini; a continuous 
bloom tlurini;- the warmer months, with attractixe 
everg-reens for the entire \ear, are a teature in this 
as well as in others of the residential i)ark imi)rove- 
ments in I'datbush. 

Since 189O the Lefferts Instate have o])ened on 
their property Midwood Street, Maple Street and Rut- 
land Road. As this projK'rtv is m the more thickly 
jiopulated section, it has naturall}' assumed the charac- 
ter of a liii;h-i;rade cit\' imj^iroxement, particularl}- as 
some eiL;ht\' brick and stone houses haxe been erected 
bv William A. A. Brown on Midwood and tlie neigh- 
boring streets. Pdatbush can thus i;i\e to the i^ros- 
]X'Ctive bu\er the hii^'hest tyix' of cit}' residence as well 
as the suburban \illa. 

Ditmas Park, now l^eini; de\eloped b_\' Pounds and 
Decker, is a section in a restricted district. This 



86 



]ir()])crtv, which was part of the farm of John and 
Hcnr\- S. Ditnias, is characterized by wide parking 
stri])s, asphalt and macadam streets with the usual city 

impro\'ements which 
liax'c now become a 
necessit\' in any suc- 
cessful suburban en- 

r-'"- " -^w terprise. 

1 i !>■ in 1898 Dean Al- 

\()rd purchased from 
the Estate of Luther 
C . X'oorhies what had 
been part of the John 
C. Bergen farm and 
an additional tract 
from the Reformed 
Dutch Church. The 
entire section com- 
prising oxer fort\' acres is now known as Prospect 
Park South. The new streets opened are called 
Huckingham, Marllxnough, Rugby, Argyle, Stratford 
and Westminster Roads. Albemarle Road, running 
through the centre of the jiroperty, and Beverl}- Road 
on the south, wei-e named before the adxent of the 
new Park. 

C'oiumonwealth Axenue in Boston, which com- 
mences at the Public (jardens and runs south toward 
the suburbs, has long been regarded as one of the 
finest streets in this country, jxrrticularly because of 
the beautiful parkwax' containing ])lants, shrubs and 
flowers. This idea has been reproduced in Albemarle 
Road and to a more limited extent in Buckingham 




St. Stephen's l.iitlieraii Cluireh. 



«7 



Road. \\wy\ street in the section is or will he asphalted 
and has also wide parkini;- strips set with ornamental 
trees, shruhs and jjlants — the spruce, lir, and hem- 
lock, the mai;nolia, rhododendron and azalea, or the 
holl\ , si)irea and harherrx . Man\- thousand bulhs are 
planted in \arious parts of the park, wliich assist in 
carr\ in-- (Hit the i)lan of haxini;- somethin.i;- in l)loom 
from earl\- sprini;" until late tall. 

'I'he rapid stride of improxement in Mat hush, which 
has thus outstripped the Past and is oxertakini;- the 
Initure, has been made possible through the exolution 
in the methods of transit. These are no lonj^er the 
da)s of the stai;e-coach or the horse-car. The electric 
service for Matbush, which now takes the passengXT 
to Manhattan without change, is unequalled in any 
other part of the city. 

Thus the Present in Matbush has been e\olved 
from the Past. No Indian spirit of the early days can 
haunt the old trail, for he would flee in haste to his 
happ\ hunting grounds on the apjDroach of the electric 
car ; no Dutchman of the olden time could find the 
familiar ])laces, but would shake his head and smoke 
his piix' in silent contemplation of the mysteries ot 
progress. l^datbush may not be the "village of 
palaces," as was suggested of the town three-quarters 
of a century ago ; but it is something very much 
better, a section of comfortable, commodious, artistic 
and hap}n' homes. 





A ccli^'bratetl Icwisli Rabbi \\lii> was askcti to define 
the attributes of true bappiness, said tliat it eon- 
sisted ill the stud\' and enjoyment oi " seience, liter- 
ature and art ; lo\e, tViendsliip and reli^i^ion." b'ew 
attain tbe ideal in an}' department of life's work, but 
the ideal is none the less im]M)rtant and neeessai"\- to 
well-roundeel dexelopment. As en\'ironment is a \ital 
factor in tlie realization of the ideal in i\n\ of its man}- 
phases, the consideration of the location of the home 
becomes a matter of supreme imjjortance. 

The aim of this little woi'k has been missed if there 
has not been indicated, at least, the desirabilit^■. the 
happiness, the hel])tu]ness, of the semi-suburl)an lite, 
as sut;'i;'ested hy the beautiful coloiu' of homes Kin,:;' 
between Prospect Park and the ocean. 'J"he stud\' and 
the enjo\nient of the six principles ot the Rabbi are no 
unattainable ideal in this communitx'. I^^)i' the study 
of science, there is the Institute, at the \er\' i;-atewa}- 
of I^datbush, a ,i;'uide to all fields of knowledi;'e — liter- 
ature is found in the Pibrar\- as well as on the sheh'es 
in the household — as for art tliere are the beauties of 
nature, the flowers, the shrubs, the trees, as well as the 
constant and e\er-i;iowini;" theme, the house that is 
builded. or to be builded, its i;"raceful lines, the tones 
of bold or delicate coloring;', the decorations within, in 
their x'aried harmonies, orthe i)ictures on the walls, with 



^.c- U 



LofC. 



90 

their wealth of thoui^ht and suggestion. As for love, 
the subject so sacred — it is found in the heart of the 
reader — and friendship, in its \aried forms, in the 
church, in the home, at the club, in the political and 
social life of the comniunitx', finds no better or more 
fertile field. Toleration was e\er one of the funda- 
mental principles of the Dutch forefathers, and for two 
hundred and f\ii\ )ears it has been held sacred in Flat- 
l)ush ; so religion in many outward forms finds here 
the breath of freedom. 

Thus Flatbush is —born in a period of great world- 
development, of noble ancestry, it still retains the 
traditions of its youth. Mtalized with the power of 
new as well as of old ideals, it promises to be a domi- 
nant and powerful force for all that is highest and best 
in the new era of the twentieth centurx'. 




CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE 



iiio.i. l-'.xpliiratioiis ol llrnrv- lludsnnaiul llic I )isr(>\ ei \ (il Xtu Ndrk Harbor. 

1614. OrsaiiiziUioii of the niitch West liulia t"uni]iaii\ 

1624. Settlement of New Amsterdam. 

i62,s. First Settlements on the west end ni l.ciny Island. 

i6;,o. Settlement of New ,\mersfoort. 

i6;,4. I'rohable settlement of Midwout. 

i6;5. I'urchase of the tract of land known as ("nrlear's I'lals from tin- Indians 

by Jacobus \"an Corlear. 
:6;,6. .Also another tract known as Twiller's I'dals In- W'nuter \\an I'w iller. 
1651. Patent granted to the people of Midwout b\ the I)irector-( '.cneral. 
165-v Now jn. Delegates from Midwout and other Dutch Towns liold a con- 

\eution at New .\msterdam to adjust differences with (",o\ernor 

Stuyxesant. 
165.1. Order issued by the C.overnor to build the Inst church at Midwout. 

.\pril 7. Midwout joins in the formation of a military conipan\- w illi 

Breuckelynand New .\niersfoorl. 
ihsr,. June 30. First Dutch Patent of Record ; The C, ranting of the Canarsie 

Meadows, 
("lovernor Stuy\ esant orders Midwout enclosed in " palisadoes " 
165.S. Midwout a Seat of Justice and a Market Town. 
i6s<-). First record of existence of a Town Clerk. .Vdrian liegeman ser\ ed 

from 1659 to 1671. He was also the first Schoolmaster of whom men- 
lion is made. 

1664. .Ml the Dutch Colonies in New Netherlands surrender to the I':nglish. 

1665. Delegates from Midwout and other Dong Island towns met the Eng- 

lish Governor at Hempstead and assented to the " Duke's Laws." 

1666. I'.oundary dispute between Midwout and New Amersfoort adjusted. 

1667. Oct. II. Goxernor NicoUs granted letters patent to the " freeholders 

and inhabitants of Midwout, alias Flalbush." 
166S. Court removed from Midwout to C.ravesend. 
i66i). First record of Constable of whom the first was Jacob Str\ ker. 
1670. April 20. Title secured to Flatbusli by purchase from the Indians — 

Eskemoppos, Kinnarimas and Ahawaham. 
1675. Title dispute between Flatbush and Capt. Richard Belts. 
1677. Mar. 25. Separate patent granted to New Lots 1>\ C.o\ . h.dmond 

Andros. 
167S. Boundary adjusted between Flatbush and Brooklyn. 

1651. Order of the Court to the inhabitants of I'latbush to fence their corn- 

fields. 

1652. Court orders certain dcliniiuents to pa\' their tithes to the niinisttr. 



16S3. Organization of the Colonial Assenih]\ under (".ow Dont^an and the 
establishment of the Counties. 

1655. Nov. 7. Court of Sesions of Kings County remo\ ed to Klatbush. 
Nov. 12. Confirmatory Patent granted to Flalbnsli b\ Cov. Dongau. 

1656. County Court House erected in Flalbush. 

i6g5. Stocks, Pound and \\'hipping Post established. I'lie Whipping Post 

was mainly for the punishment of slaves, of whmn, at one time, there 

were over 200 in the town. 
169S. Population at this time, 62 men, 72 women, 263 children, S apprentices, 

71 sla\es. Total, 476. 
1700. Survey and allotment of the wood lands which had been held in 

common. 
1703. April. First election of Supervisors, of whom the first was .\ris 

Vanderbilt. 
1706. Bomidary Dispute between Flatbush an<l Xewtown, which was not 

adjusted until 1721. 
171.4. Oct. First record of County Treasurer, of whom the first mentioned 

was John Vanderbilt of Flatbush. 

1755. New Court House erected to replace one which had been partially 

destroyed by fire. 

1775. April 5. Meeting at Flatbush, at which Delegates were chosen to the 

First Continental Congress. They were Johannes Lott, John l.el- 
ferts and John Vanderbilt. 

1776. Aug. 22. P>ritish Army landed at Bath. 

Aug. 25. Hessian troops, under (ien. De Heisler, in\ested Flalbush. 
Aug. 27. Engagement at \'alley Czrox e 1 Prospect Park 1 . 
17S0. Expedition of Capt. William Marriner. 

1756. Erasmus Hall Acadeiny erected. 

1757. May 18. Academy completed. 

Nov. 20. A charter granted to the Trustees of the .\cademy by the 

Regents of the State. 
1792. Erection of a new Court House. 

I7qs. Dec. Erection of new Reformed Dutch Church commenced. 
1796. Dec. Church completed. 

1804. Erection of Mill on the farm of John ('. \'ander\eer. 
1812 to '14. Gun-house for field pieces built on Public Scliool plot. 
1812. Lombardy poplars planted. 
1820. Lloyd's or Zabriskie Mill erected near Cow Lane (N. E. corner of 

Erasmus Street and Nostrand Avenue. ) 
1S25. Flatbush Engine Company organized. 
1S27. Sidewalks regulated. 
1S30. A Coach-line between Flatbush and Brooklyn established by Smith 

Birdsall. 
1S32. Court House burned. 

Julv 24. Board of Health established. 

1534. First streets laid out ; Erasmus and Johnson. 

1535. Opening of \'ernon Avenue. 

1.836. July II. St. Paul's P. E. Chuich organized. 



1S40. I'opulalion at llii^ tiiiK- was i,5,i7- Oruani/ali^.u mi I'lailiush I.iU-raiy 

Societ\-. 
1S42. Xew l''ulilic Scluicil 1 Iciusc erecU-d. 
1S44. Ma\ 21. l-"iisl M. !■:. Church (I.ciiox Knadi or.ntiiiized. 

Or.naiiizalion ol ihi- ('iiiu'\- Island Plank. R(ia<l Ci). 
1841). I':iv<.'lion ol Ihc llnK Cross K. C. Cluinh. 
1855. Wei'pinx Willows planled. 
1858. Flatlnish .\\ ciiuc opened to I'.rooklvn. 
1860. I'.rookKn l'il\ R. K. (". .. 1«. niyht the ri.i^hl of \va> on I'latluish Aveinie 

Iroin the I'lank Road (".mipanx. 
1S64. .\|)ril 14. I'latluish Cas C^o. or,t;ani/ed w ith a capital of .^io.'k"'. :iftei-- 

wards increased to f.s.s.ooo. 
1867-S. Opening- o I l.otl. Pfosiiecl, I'fanklin and Clinton Streets. 

1871. Grace Chapel ( Ket'ortned Chuichl ort;ani/.ed. 

1872. April 20. Organization of the Board of I'nhlic Iniprox enieiit. 
April 29. First Baptist Church organized. 

187^^. Annexation of I'lathush to Brooklyn first attempted. 

1874. Sidewalks and crossings tlagged. 

Mar. I"-. Second Refoinied Church organized. Board of Kxeise 
Commissioners organized. 
187s. Town Hall erected. 

1875. June HI. Organization of the Boaidof Police Commissioners. 
1879. April;,!). \'aiider\ eer Mill destrox ed 1)\ Tire. 

j8So. l'oi)nlation of Flatlnish at this time, including l'aik\ille and Windsor 

Terrace, was 7,6,;4. 
iSSi. I'lalbush NN'ater Works Co. organized. 
18S8. Zion's Lutheran Church organize<l. 
iS8q. Organization ol the l-ciinimore St. M. l'.. Church. 

Sewer Commissioners appointed. 
1894. Annexation i^f h'lathush to Brookl> n. 
1S96. Sept. Krasmus Hall .\cademy transferred to the Cit\- of BrookKn. 

1897. Or.ganizalion of the Innnanual Presb\-terian Churcli. 
.\nnexalion of Brookhii to New \'ork. 

1898. St. Stephen's Lutheran Church organized. 

J899. Organization of the P'lalhnsh Congregational Church. P.aptist Church of 
the Redeemer, I'latluish L'nitarian Church and Flatlnish Trust Cmu- 
liany. 

1900. Organization of the Vanderveer Park M. ]■'.. Church, and the i:piscc)pal 
Chapel of the Nativity. 



Art 



Allotment of Land . . . 

Amersfort 20. 

Annexation 92- 

Armada 

Axtell. Colonel . 
Battle Pass .... 
Iiergen House . . 
Bergen Island . . 
Beverley Square . 
Birdsall Homestead 
Breuckelen .... 
l>rooklyn Institute of 
and Sciences 

Public Library 
Canarsie Indians . 

Meadows . . . 
Conev Island I 'lank 

'Co 

Constable .... 
Continental Money 
Corlear's Flats . . . 
Cortelyou Club . . 
County Court . . . 
County Treasurer . 
Court H o u s e — As 
racks . . . 

Destroyed . . 
Court of Sessions . 
De Heistcr. (ieneral 
Ditmas Park . . 
District Court . 
Duke's Laws . . 
Dutch — Architecture 

As Fighters . 

As Diplomats . 

Characteristics 

Church .... 

Door . . , 

i'last India Co 

I^xplorers . . 



iS 



18 

91 

93 
1 1 

'-9 

75 


Dutch — Language . 
Love of Flowers 
Spirit 




4 


West India Co. 12. 
Elbertsen. Elliert . . 
English 


1 ( 


)• 4 
1 
1 


Army . . • . . . 
Control 




?9-. 




Fleet 






14 
20 

60 
60 
1 '' 


Rule 






Erasmus Hall . . 36. 
Eskemoppos . . 
Flakkebos .... 
Flatbush — Annals of 
Epoch 


48. _ 
62. 9 

. . 1 


19 


Fire Engine Co . 
(irowth . . 




4 


9- 
91 
64 
9' 
81 

51 
9' 

3- 
41 
9' 
30 
85 


Cas Company . 
(iunboat . . . 
Healthfulness . . 
Homes 




92 
34 


Plank Road Co . . . 41 

Water Works Co . . 45 

Topography .... 2; 

Whigs and Tories . 3 

P'latbush Cong. Church. 82. 9 

F'labush Trust Co. 64, 68. 9_ 

Flatbush U n i t a r i a n 

Church . . .85. 92 
Cerritson Tide Mill . 24. 39 
Ciiles. (leneral 77 


25 
28 

15 
16 
21 
-3 
17 
J 2 

14 


Cireenfield . ... 




8r 


Half-Moon 11-12 

Hessians .... 15. 30. 37 

Holland 28. 39 

Houses 28. 23- 35 

Hudson. Henry . ... 12 
Immanuel Presl). Church, 70 

Indians 3 

Tribes .... 12. 72-7 



Indians — I'urchasc Ironi . -i() 

Northern 2\ 

Kicld, Captain .... 20. 63 

Knickeri)ockc'r FiuUl Club .S4 

LelTert'.s Homcstrad . . 2S 
1. e n o \ K o a d .M . 1'.. 

C'iiurch . 42. 7 1 

ivinii.ston. Kcv. |i)lin H.^o :;j 

loyri'.s Mill . ". . . ;,S. :,2 

oml)ardy Poplars . . 40. ( 1 
oni; l.sland— liatdc of 

15. 2i). ;, I 

Intlian 'Trihrs . . u 

aytiowtr 11 

u'-riner. L'apt. William. ;,.- 

e.iLiopolcn.si.s, johannrs . iN 

oiro.se I'ark 1 ', 

Hall .... 32. 75. 77 
.dwood L'lul) ... 70. 75 
idwout — In County .Af- 
fairs J I 

Settlement 14 

ilitary Company .... 20 

oney f>i <>.i 

owatt. .Anna Cora . 32. 77 

Nassau ')i 

Blues 32 

"ativity. Chapel of . . S2. 92 

ew Lots' iS. gi 

arade Crounds S3 

ardae.uat Woods .... 42 

.irkville Si 

ipulation 1-1)2 

)und . . . <)i 

."ospectl'ark . . . 57, -,[>. Si 

rospect Park South . . 76 

.ublic Schools 55 

Putnam, (ieneral . . . . 2g 

Revolution. .American . 32, 39 

St. Paul's P. K. Church 41. 45 
St. .Stephen's I.uthuran 

Chuich S6 

Schepen 21 



Schoolmaster . . . . 51. gi 

Schout 19 

Scripture 'Pile 35 

Seawanhacky 62 

Seawant ^12 

Second Kefoi nicd Church 2~, 

Slaves 91 

Snedeker. Jan iS 

.South Midwood . 44. 74 

.Spain II 

Spicer. 'I'homas . . . . k) 

Stocks gi 

Stu\\esaiit. Cioxernor iS. 

20 23 ...... 25 

Suhuilian .Spirit (>6 

Sulli\an. Ceneial .... 30 

Tennis Court 47 

Tide Mills 24. 39 

Tol)acco (11 

Trust 66 

Trustee ''7 

'Prust L'omjiany '>7 

'Pown Cleik 9 

'Pulips 40 

'Pwiller's Flats . . . . iS. cji 

\'alley ( iro\'e 30 

\'anderbilt — Homestead . 20 
Mrs. Crertrude Lef- 

ferts 21-22 

\'anderveer — Barn .... 15 

House iS 

Farm 26 

Mill 37-3<) 

\'anderveer Park . . . 7S-S4 
X'anderveer Park AP K. 

Church .... 73. 02 

\'an Batten. Arent ... iS 

\'illai;e .School 53 

\\'ampum 01-64 

Washington 30 

Whi]:)ijin,in Post (,)i 

Zabriskie .Mill 3^'^-,39 

Zewant . . • 62 



JAN 22 1901 



'Hfc'f?>»'*^ ' 



If- LIBRARY OF^NGRESS 




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